2 am in tagalog
2 am in tagalog
2 am in tagalog
Editor in Chief Dann Sullivan pulls up a pew to discuss the previous year It's been a year of extremes, which we tend to say every year The highs of this year show that the future isn't as bleak as it might seem Well, we're now at the end of the (Gregorian) year, so now's as good a time as any to look back over 2024, which happens to have been one of the most eventful years in the gaming industry's history. I've decided that this year's retrospective should go beyond covering the state of the industry to also include the website and what current trends and moves mean for the future of mobile gaming. If you're looking for something lighter, like a list of our favourite games throughout the year (as, perhaps, teased by the header), then check out our . Back when I started writing about games I did so on a site that myself and a few buddies had launched. It was 2011, and at the time I was still working in retail (GAME, the main video game retailer in the UK). I'd been working there for several years and had always got a kick out of people coming back and sharing their happiness at my recommendations. With the shift to digital (and the joyful spread of indie) as well as more and more independent publishers and media outlets showing up online, my group of pals decided that we'd give it a shot. It's impossible to talk about 2024 without talking about industry layoffs, which surpassed 2023 back at the start of the year and continued at full speed throughout. For a glimpse at the numbers and damage, check out . I've seen sites that I idolised change hands several times before turning to dust, and there's not much left of the earlier generations of independent media either. That said, there's now a renaissance of smaller, independent, fan-funded media popping up - so there's some hope that tastemaker, recommendation-driven and critical media will persist, it's just that it won't be under the same names as before. We've also been blessed with a lot of support from a great sales team, technical team and central operations team - as well as benefited from our amazing Pocket Gamer Connects events and all of the access and fringe events they bring. The site has seen some tweaks too, as many of our regular readers will have noticed. We've had some tweaks made to how and where we write things, which has resulted in tidier URLs and titles as well as the addition of the highlights sections (where I refer to myself in the third person above). Our layout has also changed slightly, making our homepage more of a curated destination. We date back to the magazine days, so why shouldn't we be able to represent that on short notice? Pocket Gamer, through our parent company, Steel Media, has always thrived due to its ability to pivot toward (and invite discussions on) the next big thing. At times that's been Touchscreen, The AppStores, Subscriptions, Battle Passes, Microtransactions, Webstores, XR as well as slightly more controversial recent topics like NFTs, Blockchain and AI. AI has always been a core part of how video games innovate (Intelligence is, of course, in the eye of the beholder and 'pathfinding', 'adaptive programming' and 'procedural generation' are all AI, to gaming's original definition). However, as the world's major search provider (as well as some more questionable entities) attempts to replace the human-written word with generated content it's made things trickier for outlets. AI slop ( ) is making it tougher and tougher, and that's why so many outlets are moving to deliberately making 'more human' content rather than trying to content against both the slop, and the churn of larger guide sites. We're there with them. We saw Apple's privacy sandbox completely shake up how advertising worked (as it turns out, people WILL opt out of sharing data when given the choice), which changed how targeted ads work and shook up the hypercasual landscape. We also had Epic's war on the Duopoly continue, and it broke ground too, with them triggering the EU's lust for regulation and moderation as well as their (pretty respectful in 2024) dislike of monopolies. However, it's increasingly clear that Epic's war to open up the ecosystem is going to cost them (and their Tencent backers) a lot over time, and is going to be years of gruelling, trench-warfare battles. Apple opening up in the EU is a success, but other regional and national governments aren't as particular as the EU. That said, just two weeks back Epic landed a massive goal that only a few outlets covered: (o2, Movistar, Vivo). While it's not Epic's clear ultimate goal - the ability to be freely downloaded and used on all mobile devices, without any restrictions or charges - it does skip that step by having it preinstalled on phones. For us here in the UK, (and subsequently Epic's) sphere of influence to Virgin Media, Vodafone and Three - all major players. While a Telefónica deal doesn't instantly prep paper for that preinstall situation to spread further, it certainly opens doors, and I know we'll see more on that in 2025. A few years on we had Apple and Google's own App Stores. The internet was flourishing and phone technology had rocketed forward - we had full web browsers and easy interfacing with our smartphones. Then came the APK stores, and eventually alternative webstores. However, sideloading aside, we also recently started to see streaming and subscriptions on the rise. In 2025 we'll have titles like Genshin Impact, Zenless Zone Zero and Infinity Nikki out and on the market, all of them having players who freely strafe between mobile and PC. At the same time, games that cut their teeth on mobile - like Clash of Clans and Subway Surfers - are now available on PC through . I played Netease's Badlanders and Lilith's Rise of Kingdoms both on my PC and phone. Next year we'll see Microsoft's store launch after its delay , the giant took , not long before launching their , which posited that everything from phone to PC (anything with a browser) will be able to access the Xbox ecosystem. This happened while Nintendo kept playing with mobile, Sega doubled down into the space (they Rovio) and most major publishers keep expanding into the space. That and, let's not forget, Microsoft now have not only Activision & Blizzard, but King. A lot of this isn't new, of course. We've been talking about big names getting into mobile for years, but people haven't really put their finger on the why. It's not just because mobile is often the battleground for new mechanics and monetisation techniques, but it's because you can scale mobile up to console, to PC and beyond... scaling PC or console down though... that's harder. So, now that everything (Discord, Netflix, Telegram, The New York Times... even LinkedIn) is a platform, and - through Microsoft and friends - is back, and Instant Games are on the rise, and subscriptions are more relevant than ever. Mobile gaming going to change, but it's going to be those inside the ecosystem that are going to be leading it, using these other technologies. If you look at popular 2018 turn-based strategy (and a personal favourite of our COO) Into the Breach you can see the single-screen singularity that we're entering into. You can play it on Switch, you can play it on iOS and Android and you can play it on Xbox, Playstation and PC too. This is facilitated by self-publishing and a string of partnerships, but critically, through casting from your phone, you can play it on everything from your phone to a cinema (or, probably bigger if you have a nice projector). You can, of course, run it natively through one of the other devices. As that little device in your hand gets smarter and more powerful, it's likely to wedge out most other, slower-moving gaming mediums like consoles - although I don't think 2025 is going to be the year for that. I do think that something that we'll be watching closely here at Pocket Gamer is how the Steam Deck encourages 'high tech, big budget' publishers to adopt a generational 'minimum' spec similar to console generations, and what that'll mean for wider adoption of 'mobile' teams and philosophies for 'mainstream' development. Anyway, 2024 is coming to a close and we've had a bumpy year, but the future is looking bright and exciting. Maybe we never left the creative 'wild west' in this industry, and it's time to fully embrace that again, especially here in the wild world of mobile.
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JANUARY Glynis Johns, 100. A Tony Award-winning stage and screen star who played the mother opposite Julie Andrews in the classic movie “Mary Poppins” and introduced the world to the bittersweet standard-to-be “Send in the Clowns” by Stephen Sondheim. Jan. 4. David Soul, 80. The actor-singer was a 1970s heartthrob who co-starred as the blond half of the crime-fighting duo “Starsky & Hutch” and topped the music charts with the ballad “Don’t Give Up on Us.” Jan. 4. Joyce Randolph, 99. A veteran stage and television actor whose role as the savvy Trixie Norton on “The Honeymooners” provided the perfect foil to her dimwitted TV husband. Jan. 13. Jack Burke Jr., 100 . He was the oldest living Masters champion and staged the greatest comeback ever at Augusta National for one of his two majors. Jan. 19. People are also reading... Dexter Scott King, 62. He dedicated much of his life to shepherding the civil rights legacy of his parents, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Jan. 22. Charles Osgood, 91. He anchored “CBS Sunday Morning” for more than two decades, was host of the long-running radio program “The Osgood File” and was referred to as CBS News’ poet-in-residence. Jan. 23. Chita Rivera, 91. The dynamic dancer, singer and actress who garnered 10 Tony nominations, winning twice, in a long Broadway career that forged a path for Latina artists and shrugged off a near-fatal car accident. Jan. 30. FEBRUARY Carl Weathers, 76. A former NFL linebacker who became a Hollywood action movie and comedy star, playing nemesis-turned-ally Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” movies, starring with Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Predator” and teaching golf in “Happy Gilmore.” Feb. 1. Toby Keith, 62. A hit country crafter of pro-American anthems who both riled up critics and was loved by millions of fans. Feb. 5. Stomach cancer. Alexei Navalny, 47. The fiercest foe of Russian President Vladimir Putin who crusaded against official corruption and staged massive anti-Kremlin protests. Feb. 16. Jacob Rothschild, 87. The financier and philanthropist was part of the renowned Rothschild banking dynasty. Feb. 26. Richard Lewis, 76. An acclaimed comedian known for exploring his neuroses in frantic, stream-of-consciousness diatribes while dressed in all-black, leading to his nickname “The Prince of Pain.” Feb. 27. MARCH Iris Apfel, 102. A textile expert, interior designer and fashion celebrity known for her eccentric style. March 1. David E. Harris, 89. He flew bombers for the U.S. military and broke barriers in 1964 when he became the first Black pilot hired at a major U.S. airline. March 8. Eric Carmen, 74. The singer-songwriter fronted the power-pop 1970s band the Raspberries and later had soaring pop hits like “All by Myself” and “Hungry Eyes” from the hit “Dirty Dancing” soundtrack. March 11. Joe Lieberman, 82. The former U.S. senator of Connecticut nearly won the vice presidency on the Democratic ticket with Al Gore in the disputed 2000 election and almost became Republican John McCain’s running mate eight years later. March 27. Complications from a fall. Louis Gossett Jr., 87. The first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries “Roots.” March 28. APRIL Lou Conter, 102. The last living survivor of the USS Arizona battleship that exploded and sank during the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. April 1. John Sinclair, 82. A poet, music producer and counterculture figure whose lengthy prison sentence after a series of small-time pot busts inspired a John Lennon song and a star-studded 1971 concert to free him. April 2. O.J. Simpson, 76. The decorated football superstar and Hollywood actor who was acquitted of charges he killed his former wife and her friend but later found liable in a separate civil trial. April 10. Robert MacNeil, 93. He created the even-handed, no-frills PBS newscast “The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour” in the 1970s and co-anchored the show with his late partner, Jim Lehrer, for two decades. April 12. Faith Ringgold, 93. An award-winning author and artist who broke down barriers for Black female artists and became famous for her richly colored and detailed quilts combining painting, textiles and storytelling. April 12. Carl Erskine, 97. He pitched two no-hitters as a mainstay on the Brooklyn Dodgers and was a 20-game winner in 1953 when he struck out a then-record 14 in the World Series. April 16. Roman Gabriel, 83. The first Filipino-American quarterback in the NFL and the league MVP in 1969. April 20. MAY Dick Rutan, 85. He, along with copilot Jeana Yeager, completed one of the greatest milestones in aviation history: the first round-the-world flight with no stops or refueling. May 3. Pete McCloskey, 96. A pro-environment, anti-war California Republican who co-wrote the Endangered Species Act and co-founded Earth Day. May 8. Roger Corman, 98. The “King of the Bs” helped turn out such low-budget classics as “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Attack of the Crab Monsters” and gave many of Hollywood’s most famous actors and directors early breaks. May 9. Alice Munro, 92. The Nobel laureate was a Canadian literary giant who became one of the world’s most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history’s most honored short story writers. May 13. Dabney Coleman, 92. The mustachioed character actor who specialized in smarmy villains like the chauvinist boss in “9 to 5” and the nasty TV director in “Tootsie.” May 16. Morgan Spurlock, 53. The documentary filmmaker and Oscar nominee whose most famous works skewered America’s food industry. May 23. Complications of cancer. Bill Walton, 71. He starred for John Wooden’s UCLA Bruins before becoming a Hall of Fame center for his NBA career and one of the biggest stars in basketball broadcasting. May 27. JUNE Janis Paige, 101. A popular actor in Hollywood and in Broadway musicals and comedies who danced with Fred Astaire, toured with Bob Hope and continued to perform into her 90s. June 2. L ynn Conway, 86. A pioneer in the design of microchips that are at the heart of consumer electronics who overcame discrimination as a transgender person. June 9. Jerry West, 86. Selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive, his silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo. June 12. Willie Mays, 93. The electrifying “Say Hey Kid” whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players. June 18. Donald Sutherland, 88. The Canadian actor whose wry, arresting screen presence spanned more than half a century of films from “M.A.S.H.” to “The Hunger Games.” June 20. Martin Mull, 80. His droll, esoteric comedy and acting made him a hip sensation in the 1970s and later a beloved guest star on sitcoms including “Roseanne” and “Arrested Development.” June 27. JULY Shelley Duvall, 75. The intrepid, Texas-born movie star whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining.” July 11. Dr. Ruth Westheimer, 96. The diminutive sex therapist became a pop icon, media star and best-selling author through her frank talk about once-taboo bedroom topics. July 12. Shannen Doherty, 53. The “Beverly Hills, 90210” star whose life and career were roiled by illness and tabloid stories. July 13. Richard Simmons, 76. He was television’s hyperactive court jester of physical fitness who built a mini-empire in his trademark tank tops and short shorts by urging the overweight to exercise and eat better. July 13. Bob Newhart, 94. The deadpan accountant-turned-comedian became one of the most popular TV stars of his time after striking gold with a classic comedy album. July 18. Lou Dobbs, 78. The conservative political pundit and veteran cable TV host was a founding anchor for CNN and later was a nightly presence on Fox Business Network for more than a decade. July 18. Francine Pascal, 92. A onetime soap opera writer whose “Sweet Valley High” novels and the ongoing adventures of twins Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield and other teens captivated millions of young readers. July 28. AUGUST Susan Wojcicki, 56. A pioneering tech executive who helped shape Google and YouTube. Aug. 9. Wallace “Wally” Amos, 88. The creator of the Famous Amos cookie empire went on to become a children’s literacy advocate. Aug. 13. Gena Rowlands, 94. She was hailed as a guiding light in independent cinema as a star in groundbreaking movies by her director husband, John Cassavetes. She later charmed audiences in her son’s tear-jerker “The Notebook.” Aug. 14. Phil Donahue, 88. His pioneering daytime talk show launched an indelible television genre. Aug. 18. Ruth Johnson Colvin, 107. She founded Literacy Volunteers of America, was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and received the nation’s highest civilian award: the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Aug. 18. John Amos, 84. He starred as the family patriarch on the hit 1970s sitcom “Good Times” and earned an Emmy nomination for his role in the seminal 1977 miniseries “Roots.” Aug. 21. SEPTEMBER James Darren, 88. A teen idol who helped ignite the 1960s surfing craze as a charismatic beach boy paired off with Sandra Dee in the hit film “Gidget.” Sept. 2. James Earl Jones, 93. He overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen, eventually lending his deep, commanding voice to CNN, “The Lion King” and Darth Vader. Sept. 9. Frankie Beverly, 77. With his band Maze, he inspired generations of fans with his smooth, soulful voice and lasting anthems including “Before I Let Go.” Sept. 10. Tito Jackson, 70. One of the brothers who made up the beloved pop group the Jackson 5. Sept. 15. Maggie Smith, 89. The masterful, scene-stealing actor who won an Oscar for the 1969 film “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” and gained new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey” and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films. Sept. 27. Kris Kristofferson, 88. A Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma who became a country music superstar and an A-list Hollywood actor. Sept. 28. Pete Rose, 83. Baseball’s career hits leader and fallen idol who undermined his historic achievements and Hall of Fame dreams by gambling on the game he loved and once embodied. Sept. 30. Dikembe Mutombo, 58. A basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game. Sept. 30. Brain cancer. OCTOBER Cissy Houston, 91. A two-time Grammy-winning soul and gospel artist who sang with Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley and other stars and knew triumph and heartbreak as the mother of singer Whitney Houston. Oct. 7. Ethel Kennedy, 96. The wife of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy raised their 11 children after he was assassinated and remained dedicated to social causes and the family’s legacy for decades thereafter. Oct. 10. Lilly Ledbetter, 86. A former Alabama factory manager whose lawsuit against her employer made her an icon of the equal pay movement and led to landmark wage discrimination legislation. Oct. 12. Liam Payne, 31. A former One Direction singer whose chart-topping British boy band generated a global following of swooning fans. Oct. 16. Died after falling from a hotel balcony. Mitzi Gaynor, 93. The effervescent dancer and actor starred as Nellie Forbush in the 1958 film “South Pacific” and appeared in other musicals with Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly. Oct. 17. Phil Lesh, 84. A classically trained violinist and jazz trumpeter who found his true calling by reinventing the role of rock bass guitar as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. Oct. 25. Teri Garr, 79. The quirky comedy actor rose from background dancer in Elvis Presley movies to co-star in such favorites as “Young Frankenstein” and “Tootsie.” Oct. 29. Multiple sclerosis. NOVEMBER Quincy Jones, 91. The music titan whose vast legacy ranged from producing Michael Jackson’s historic “Thriller” album to writing prize-winning film and television scores and collaborating with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and hundreds of other recording artists. Nov. 3. Elwood Edwards, 74. He voiced America Online’s ever-present “You’ve got mail” greeting. Nov. 5. Tony Todd, 69. An actor known for his haunting portrayal of a killer in the horror film “Candyman” and for roles in many other films and television shows. Nov. 6. Bobby Allison, 86. He was founder of racing’s “Alabama Gang” and a NASCAR Hall of Famer. Nov. 9. Bela Karolyi, 82. The charismatic, if polarizing, gymnastics coach turned young women into champions and the United States into an international power in the sport. Nov. 15. Arthur Frommer, 95. His “Europe on 5 Dollars a Day” guidebooks revolutionized leisure travel by convincing average Americans to take budget vacations abroad. Nov. 18. Chuck Woolery, 83. The affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster. Nov. 23. DECEMBER George Joseph Kresge Jr., 89. He was known to generations of TV watchers as the mesmerizing entertainer and mentalist The Amazing Kreskin. Dec. 10. Fred Lorenzen, 89. A NASCAR Hall of Famer and the 1965 Daytona 500 champion. Dec. 18. Rickey Henderson, 65. The baseball Hall of Famer was the brash speedster who shattered stolen base records and redefined baseball’s leadoff position. Dec. 20. Richard Parsons, 76. One of corporate America’s most prominent Black executives who held top posts at Time Warner and Citigroup. Dec. 26. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!
WBLA: REG trio among Gameday 4 top performers
How major US stock indexes fared Tuesday, 12/10/2024
Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson is checking off another item on her bucket list: Broadway. Jackson will appear in a one-night performance of the musical comedy “& Juliet” on Saturday, according to an Instagram post from the Broadway show. The role is a walk-on, which does not typically include any lines of dialogue. Jackson will also participate in a special “talkback” after the performance, according to the social media post. RELATED STORY | Could Democrats pressure Justice Sotomayor to step down for replacement? In her recently published memoir, "Lovely One," Jackson wrote about her dreams of becoming the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court and appear on a Broadway stage. Now, it seems that her once-teenage dreams will come true. The show begins at 8 p.m. ET on Dec. 14 at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre in New York City.Chance of direct attack by Russia ‘remote’, says UK armed forces chief
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Broncos hire Bauer away from KCAC power with hope to invigorate offenseTea was due on day two of the Boxing Day Test and the contest was at an absorbing pass. Australia spent the first half of the day making hay while the sun shone from a cloudless sky. On a pitch that had quickened up to a nicety overnight, there was plenty to make. Pat Cummins of Australia celebrates the wicket of KL Rahul of India Credit: Getty Images Steve Smith wound back the years as he wound up his arms, scattering the ball to all parts. He does not so much hook sixes as cast them over fine leg like a fly fisherman. This was his fifth MCG hundred; he loves the place like he loves his mum and his bat in no particular order. Pat Cummins, playing a mix of conventional and Konstas cricket, had matched him blow for robust blow in a century stand that gave Australia the running in this match. Cummins in such a vein divides sentiment, between appreciation for what he can do and mystification about why hasn’t done it more often. But he doesn’t often get this batting conditions as blissful as this. He reaped. Click here to read the story. Australian star Steve Smith has admitted he reflected on critics questioning whether his eyes and reflexes were fading by stepping forward and moving closer to the bowler. He believed batting out of his crease takes the game to the bowler but also makes it harder for him to be trapped lbw. “You’ve got to have faith, I was hitting the ball really nicely and people were saying “Is he too old? Are his eyes going?” So I thought I would go out of my crease and make my impact point closer to the bowler, so it all comes a bit quicker,” Smith told Fox Sports this morning. “I think my eyes are still there which is nice. For me, it is about keeping the faith and knowing that I’m hitting the ball well. There is a difference between being out of form and out of runs - I was just out of runs and I’ve played long enough to know that things can turn around quickly.” There could be a hint of rain later today but, otherwise, looks to be a brilliant day for cricket. Ricky Ponting has had this to say on Seven about Virat Kohli turning back to address hecklers after his dismissal at the MCG on day two. Click here to read more about Kohli’s struggles. Virat Kohli came close to an angry confrontation with the crowd after he was involved in a calamitous run out in which veteran spinner Nathan Lyon later pinned him as the guilty party. Kohli was almost out of sight from the crowd in the players’ race after his dismissal before he returned to glare at hecklers. An ICC official then placed a consolatory arm around his shoulder and shepherded him down the race. It is not clear from the video of the incident that surfaced on social media on Friday night what sparked Kohli’s backturn, and though boos were clearly audible, no racial or personal abuse could be heard. Cricket Australia and the Melbourne Cricket Club had not received a complaint from the Board of Control for Cricket in India at the time of publication. The BCCI have been contacted for comment. Click here to read the story. G’day everyone. I’m Roy Ward and welcome to our Boxing Day Test live blog. We are at day three of this match and it really feels like both this match and this series are both on the line today as Australia tries to bowl out India and the tourists aim for a mid-innings recovery after falling to 5-164 at stumps yesterday. India trails by 310 runs and have the dangerous Rishbah Pant and Ravindra Jadeja at the crease, both are capable of posting big scores. Scott Boland, Pat Cummins and the rest of the Australian attack will aim to break this partnership up early and then power through the tail. Play begins at 10.30am AEDT. Enjoy the hours to come.
The Thunder had a good 2024 calendar year with plenty of accomplishments. However, they can still make plenty of improvements for 2025 and close out the 2024-2025 season on a high note. With only three more games left in 2024, Thunder fans are focusing on 2025 and what’s to come. They are hoping the 2025 season brings the Thunder their first title in franchise history if you don’t count the Seattle Supersonics one. With how this season has gone for the Thunder, as they sit at 24-5 and on pace for 67 wins, Thunder fans feel like 2025 could be the year they hold up the Larry O’Brien Trophy. However, there are still improvements the Thunder can still make in 2025. Before we discuss what those improvements are, let’s talk about some of the highlights from the 2024 season. Thunder’s 2024 Review and Improvements They Can Make for 2025 What Went Right for The Thunder in 2024 The Thunder’s 2024 season has been very successful, and they have learned a lot through the year. They made the playoffs for the first time since the 2019-2020 season. In addition, they become the youngest one-seed ever in NBA history, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexande r finishing MVP-runner up. The Thunder advanced past the first round for the first time since the 2015-2016 season. These were all great achievements they had at the beginning of 2024. Unfortunately, they lost to the Dallas Mavericks in the Conference Semifinals. After their loss, they made two of the biggest splashes in the offseason by trading for Alex Caruso and signing Isaiah Hartenstein . Building off of Last Season Coming into the start of this season, they were the favorites to come out of the West. However, people didn’t know how the Thunder would handle the pressure of expectations, something this team hadn’t faced yet. Ultimately, the Thunder picked right back up from last season and seemed like they never skipped a beat. They have stormed out to a 24-5 record and are on pace to finish with their best record ever in franchise history. In addition, the Thunder have the number-one-ranked defense in the NBA and are on pace to have a historic defense. They have been doing this even with missing their defensive anchor in Chet Holmgren for the majority of the season. Ultimately, team success isn’t the only thing that has defined the 2024 season for the Thunder; there has also been individual success as well. Shai is once again in the running for MVP and is on pace to have back-to-back-to-back years averaging 30 or more points per game. Jalen Williams is averaging career highs in every statistical category besides shooting percentages and is in discussion for the Most Improved Player award. Isaiah Hartenstein is averaging career numbers in points, rebounds, and assists. Alex Caruso just got a four-year 81 million dollar extension, which would be the most money he has ever earned in his career. Finally, Lu Dort is averaging career numbers in steals and blocks and could earn a spot on an All-Defensive team for the first time. What Improvements Can Be Made for 2025 2024 has brought the Thunder a lot of team success and individual success. In addition, they have grown as a team and have learned plenty of lessons along the way. However, with the calenders turning to 2025 in five days, there are still plenty of improvements the Thunder can make. One of those improvements is something that is out of their control but needs to happen for them to achieve their goals in 2025. That is, the Thunder need to get healthy. They have had multiple players miss multiple games, whether you talk about Holmgren, who has missed 19 games and counting, to Caruso, who has missed nine games. The Thunder need to be healthy for the playoffs if they want the best shot of claiming the Larry O’Brien trophy. Shooting Improvements and Offensive Improvements There hasn’t been much that has gone wrong for the Thunder this season besides shooting struggles and offensive struggles. Last year, the Thunder led the NBA in three-point shooting percentage , however, with essentially the same roster, they are now at 19th . This is the number one thing that needs to improve for 2025. Players like Caruso, Isaiah Joe , and Cason Wallace need to get back to shooting 40% like they did last year. Mark Daigneault made an effort for the team to shoot more threes this year, and they have increased it by four attempts per game. However, that shouldn’t be enough to drastically impact the Thunder’s shooting percentage as it has this year. The second thing that needs to improve is their offensive efficiency. Last year, the Thunder had a top-five offense in the NBA, and this season, they are outside the top five, ranking seventh in offensive rating. Furthermore, the Thunder have made strides in getting better on offense in the last couple of weeks but can still improve in that area. The Thunder especially needs to be better in the minutes that Shai isn’t on the floor. When he isn’t on the floor, it just seems like their offense looks completely different. Notably, with Shai off the floor, the Thunder have an abysmal 101.9 offensive rating, which translates to the worst offensive rating in the league. Finally, the last improvement is more consistent help for Shai. There have been games where Shai gets plenty of help and other times where it’s not enough. This will have to be fixed come playoff time, as Shai receiving no help in the playoffs was a big reason why they lost to the Mavericks. The Last Word The Thunder have learned plenty of lessons and have grown as a team from the 2024 calendar year. However, there are still a couple of improvements they can still make when the calendar turns to 2025. The Thunder fixing these improvements will be essential in how the rest of their season will go. Ultimately, fixing these issues could be the deciding factor of whether or not they make the NBA Finals. This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.
20 Best Gifts From Todd Snyder’s Luxury Holiday Guide That They Won’t ReturnNone(BPT) - The holidays are almost here! It means parties and events, hustle and bustle ... and figuring out what to buy for everyone on your list. Sometimes it's hard to get inspired with great ideas that your nears and dears will love at a price you can afford, right? The good news? Inspiration + savings are covered this year. One of the top gifts of Holiday 2024 is technology, and there are a lot of deals out there right now. Done and done! Here are 5 ideas for hot tech gifts for everyone on your list. Smartphones for the family T-Mobile is running a hot deal right now. Get four new smartphones at T-Mobile — this includes Samsung Galaxy S24 and other eligible devices — and four lines for just $100/month . It doesn't get better than that! These new Galaxy phones are tech-tastic, too, with features like AI, Circle to Search with Google, which can be used to help solve math problems and translate entire pages of text in a different language, and Note Assist with Galaxy AI, which lets you focus on capturing your notes and then Note Assist will summarize, format and even translate them for you. High tech spiral notebook for students We've got to admit, this is pretty cool. The Rocketbook looks (a bit) like a regular spiral, paper notebook. Here's the high tech twist: You can take notes, capture ideas, brainstorm, draw — whatever you do on paper — on the pad, and the Rocketbook digitizes your doodles and saves to the cloud device of your choice. Then you simply wipe the pad clean and it's good to go. Look for Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales at your favorite online retailer. Wrist-worthy smartwatches for athletes (or those who want to be) Everyone loves smartwatches (if you're not already tracking your sleep and heart rate, where have you been?) and the Google Pixel Watch 3 (41mm & 45mm) takes it to the next level with features for athletes or anyone who may be setting fitness goals for the coming year. The watch has workout prompts like Real Time Guidance — audio and haptic cues for when to sprint, cool down or maintain pace. It gives you the ability to program your workouts and even monitors your cadence and stride. It also has Offline Maps, with driving navigation, search and maps. Here's the deal of the century: Get it for free at T-Mobile when adding a qualifying watch line. Cute wireless keyboard for people who are all thumbs Who else is annoyed by typing email or texts or social posts on a smartphone? The Logitech Multi-Device Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard solves that problem with style! It comes in sweet colors like lavender, it's wireless, it's small and portable, and it works with just about any device. Pop it into your backpack or purse and you'll never have to thumb-out a message again. Speakers perfect for hosting and giving Have a music lover in your life or need the perfect hosting gift? T-Mobile has you covered. For a limited time, you can get the JBL Clip 5 for free when you pick up a Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9 . The JBL Clip 5 is an ultra-portable Bluetooth speaker perfect for those on the go and the Onyx Studio 9's sleek design and booming sound will take care of all your holiday hosting needs. For more tech-tastic holiday gift inspiration, check out T-Mobile's holiday gift guide at t-mobile.com/devices/tech-gifts .Broncos hire Bauer away from KCAC power with hope to invigorate offense
U.S. stock indexes drifted lower in the runup to the highlight of the week for the market, the latest update on inflation. The S&P 500 slipped 0.3% Tuesday and marked its first back-to-back losses in three weeks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite also fell 0.3%. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.simonkr/E+ via Getty Images Investment Thesis Back in July, I issued a Buy rating on Celestica Inc. ( NYSE: CLS ), a Canadian product design service provider and a manufacturer of electronic components that addressed a wide array of applications. The stock Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
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Encode, the nonprofit org that co-sponsored California’s ill-fated SB 1047 AI safety legislation, has requested permission to file an amicus brief in support of Elon Musk’s injunction to halt OpenAI’s transition to a for-profit. In a proposed brief submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California Friday afternoon, counsel for Encode said that OpenAI’s conversion to a for-profit would “undermine” the firm’s mission to “develop and deploy ... transformative technology in a way that is safe and beneficial to the public.” “OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, claim to be developing society-transforming technology, and those claims should be taken seriously,” the brief read. “If the world truly is at the cusp of a new age of artificial general intelligence (AGI) , then the public has a profound interest in having that technology controlled by a public charity legally bound to prioritize safety and the public benefit rather than an organization focused on generating financial returns for a few privileged investors.” OpenAI was founded in 2015 as a nonprofit research lab. But as its experiments became increasingly capital-intensive, it created its current structure, taking on outside investments from VCs and companies including Microsoft. Today, OpenAI has a for-profit org controlled by a nonprofit with a “capped profit” share for investors and employees. But in a blog post this morning, the company said it plans to begin transitioning its existing for-profit into a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), with ordinary shares of stock and the OpenAI mission as its public benefit interest. OpenAI’s nonprofit will remain, but will relinquish control of the company in exchange for shares. Musk filed for a preliminary injunction to halt the company’s transition to a for-profit, which has long been in the works, late in November. He accused OpenAI of abandoning its original philanthropic mission to make the fruits of its AI research available to all, and of depriving rivals including his AI startup, xAI, of capital through anticompetitive means. OpenAI has called Musk’s complaints “baseless” and simply a case of sour grapes. Facebook’s parent company and AI rival, Meta, is also supporting efforts to block OpenAI’s conversion. In December, Meta sent a letter to California attorney general Rob Bonta, arguing that allowing the shift would have “seismic implications for Silicon Valley.” Lawyers for Encode said that OpenAI’s plans to transfer control of its operations to a PBC would “convert an organization bound by law to ensure the safety of advanced AI into one bound by law to ‘balance’ its consideration of any public benefit against ‘the pecuniary interests of [its] stockholders.’” Encode’s counsel notes in the brief, for example, that OpenAI’s nonprofit has committed to stop competing with any “value-aligned, safety-conscious project” that comes close to building AGI before it does, but that OpenAI as a for-profit would have less incentive to do so. The brief also points out that the nonprofit OpenAI’s board will no longer be able to cancel investors’ equity if needed for safety once the company’s restructuring is completed. “OpenAI’s touted fiduciary duty to humanity would evaporate, as Delaware law is clear that the directors of a PBC owe no duty to the public at all,” Encode’s brief continued. “The public interest would be harmed by a safety-focused, mission-constrained nonprofit relinquishing control over something so transformative at any price to a for-profit enterprise with no enforceable commitment to safety.” Encode, founded in July 2020 by high school student Sneha Revanur, describes itself as a network of volunteers focused on ensuring voices of younger generations are heard in conversations about AI’s impacts. Encode has contributed to various pieces of AI state and federal legislation in addition to SB 1047, including the White House’s AI Bill of Rights and President Joe Biden’s Executive Order on AI .NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes rose to more records Wednesday after tech companies talked up how much of a boost they’re getting from the artificial-intelligence boom. The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% to add to what’s set to be one of its best years of the millennium. It’s the 56th time the index has hit an all-time high this year after climbing in 11 of the last 12 days . The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 308 points, or 0.7%, while the Nasdaq composite added 1.3% to its own record. Salesforce helped pull the market higher after delivering stronger revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected, though its profit fell just short. CEO Mark Benioff highlighted the company’s artificial-intelligence offering for customers, saying “the rise of autonomous AI agents is revolutionizing global labor, reshaping how industries operate and scale.” The stock price of the company, which helps businesses manage their customers, jumped 11%. Marvell Technology leaped even more after delivering better results than expected, up 23.2%. CEO Matt Murphy said the semiconductor supplier is seeing strong demand from AI and gave a forecast for profit in the upcoming quarter that topped analysts’ expectations. All the optimistic talk helped Nvidia , the company whose chips are powering much of the move into AI, rally 3.5%. It was the strongest force pushing upward on the S&P 500 by far. They helped offset an 8.9% drop for Foot Locker, which reported profit and revenue that fell short of analysts’ expectations. CEO Mary Dillon said the company is taking a more cautious view, and it cut its forecasts for sales and profit this year. Dillon pointed to how keen customers are for discounts and how soft demand has been outside of Thanksgiving week and other key selling periods. Retailers overall have offered mixed signals about how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain. Their spending has been one of the main reasons the U.S. economy has avoided a recession that earlier seemed inevitable after the Federal Reserve hiked interest rates to crush inflation. But shoppers are now contending with still-high prices and a slowing job market . This week’s highlight for Wall Street will be Friday’s jobs report from the U.S. government, which will show how many people employers hired and fired last month. A narrower report released Wednesday morning suggested employers in the private sector increased their payrolls by less last month than economists expected. Hiring in manufacturing was the weakest since the spring, according to Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP. The report strengthened traders’ expectations that the Fed will cut its main interest rate again when it meets in two weeks. The Fed began easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high in September, hoping to offer more support for the job market. The central bank had appeared set to continue cutting rates into next year, but the election of Donald Trump has scrambled Wall Street’s expectations somewhat. Trump’s preference for higher tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation , which could alter the Fed’s plans . Fed Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday that the central bank can afford to cut rates cautiously because inflation has slowed from its peak two years ago and the economy remains sturdy. A separate report on Wednesday said health care, finance and other businesses in the U.S. services sector are continuing to grow, but not by as much as before and not by as much as economists expected. One respondent from the construction industry told the survey from the Institute for Supply Management that the Fed’s rate cuts haven't pulled down mortgage rates as much as hoped. Plus, “the unknown effect of tariffs clouds the future.” In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.18% from 4.23% late Tuesday. On Wall Street, Campbell’s sank 6.2% for one of the S&P 500’s sharper losses despite increasing its dividend and reporting a stronger profit than analysts expected. Its revenue fell short of Wall Street’s expectations, and the National Football League’s Washington Commanders hired Campbell’s CEO Mark Clouse as its team president. Gains for airline stocks helped offset that drop after JetBlue Airways said it saw stronger bookings for travel in November and December following the presidential election. It also said it’s benefiting from lower fuel prices, as well as lower costs due to improved on-time performance. JetBlue jumped 8.3%, while Southwest Airlines climbed 3.5%. All told, the S&P 500 rose 36.61 points to 6,086.49. The Dow climbed 308.51 to 45,014.04, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 254.21 to 19,735.12. In stock markets abroad, South Korea’s Kospi sank 1.4% following a night full of drama in Seoul. President Yoon Suk Yeol was facing possible impeachment after he suddenly declared martial law on Tuesday night, prompting troops to surround the parliament. He revoked the martial law declaration six hours later. In the crypto market , bitcoin climbed near $99,000 after Trump said he would nominate Paul Atkins , a cryptocurrency advocate, to chair the Securities and Exchange Commission. AP Writers Matt Ott and Zimo Zhong contributed.Skillsoft Reports Financial Results for the Third Quarter of Fiscal 2025
